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Bade Hanuman Ji Temple (Lete Hanuman), Prayagraj
Hanuman (Reclining) · Sangam · Prayagraj
॥ ॐ हनुमते नमः ॥
Near the Triveni Sangam at Prayagraj, below the walls of the fort, the Bade Hanuman temple holds a large reclining image of Hanuman — the Lete Hue Hanuman, a rare lying-down form of the deity. It is one of the most visited shrines of the pilgrims who come to the confluence for the Kumbh and Magh melas.
The reclining Hanuman
The temple is built around a large stone image of Hanuman shown lying down rather than seated or standing — the form that gives it the name Lete Hanuman, the reclining Hanuman. The image rests in a sunken sanctum below ground level, and devotees descend to its edge for darshan.
This recumbent posture is unusual among Hanuman shrines, and it is the chief reason pilgrims seek out the temple near the Sangam.
When the Ganga bathes the lord
The temple stands close to the river, and each year, as the Ganga rises in the monsoon, the waters reach and fill the sunken sanctum. By the tradition of Prayagraj the river is said to come to bathe the lord, lapping over the reclining image before slowly receding as the floods fall.
This annual immersion is taken as a blessing rather than a hazard, and is one of the best-known features of worship at the shrine.
At the Triveni Sangam
The temple lies near the meeting of the Ganga, Yamuna and the unseen Saraswati at Prayagraj — the Triveni Sangam, one of the holiest bathing places in the country and the ground of the great Kumbh and Magh melas. It sits below the Akbar-era fort on the bank of the confluence.
Pilgrims who come to bathe at the Sangam very commonly include the Bade Hanuman temple in their visit, making it a fixed point of the riverside circuit.
How to reach Bade Hanuman Ji Temple
- By road: the temple is by the Sangam below the fort at Prayagraj, reached by road, auto and cycle-rickshaw from the city; the riverside area is busiest during the mela season.
- By train: Prayagraj Junction is a major railway station with services across the country; the Sangam and the temple are a few kilometres away by local transport.
- By air: the nearest airport is Prayagraj (Bamrauli), with onward road transfer to the Sangam and the temple.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Bade Hanuman temple at Prayagraj?
It is a shrine near the Triveni Sangam at Prayagraj holding a large reclining image of Hanuman, the Lete Hue Hanuman — a rare lying-down form of the deity, set in a sunken sanctum.
Why is it called Lete Hanuman?
Lete Hanuman means the reclining or lying-down Hanuman, named for the unusual posture of the temple’s large image, shown lying down rather than seated or standing.
Is it true the Ganga floods the temple?
Yes. Each year as the Ganga rises in the monsoon, its waters fill the sunken sanctum; by tradition the river is said to come to bathe the lord before receding.
Where is the temple located?
The temple stands near the Triveni Sangam at Prayagraj, below the fort, on the bank where the Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati are believed to meet.
Is the temple linked to the Kumbh Mela?
Yes. It is a key shrine for the pilgrims of the Kumbh and Magh melas held at the Triveni Sangam, and is widely visited during the bathing season.
Which deity is worshipped here?
The temple is dedicated to Hanuman, worshipped here in his rare reclining form near the confluence at Prayagraj.
॥ जय बजरंगबली ॥ • Bhaktiras.net Temple Guide
| Deity | Hanuman (reclining) |
| Form | Lete Hue Hanuman |
| Location | Triveni Sangam, below the Fort |
| City | Prayagraj |
| Annual event | Ganga floods the sanctum |
| Pilgrim link | Kumbh and Magh melas |